Newsies In Narnia
by NewsgirlsInNeverland
Summary: The wardrobe looked ordinary enough; just old wood carved in beautiful, detailed patterns. But something lie beyond, waiting for four little boys to find it, to break an everlasting winter and save the world that shouldn't exist...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, it's SomedayonBroadway here posting the third story of bexlynne's and my joined account. I hope you guys are ready for some more odd crossovers and some odd stories in general.**

 **Personally, I am super stoked for this story. It's gonna a bit of a rollercoaster. But i really hope you guys like it!**

 **Enjoy!**

The quiet was refreshing. Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd actually gotten to close his eyes for a minute while it was actually peaceful around him. But he knew better than anyone that it couldn't stay like that. Especially not with brothers like his.

"Bear? Could we play a game?"

That irresistibly, sweet voice broke through the tense silence of the small train carriage that four boys shared. The boy wished it hadn't. He wished he could just go to sleep. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually been able to rest so well. Drearily, Jack's eyes slid open to find his three other boys in the room.

The sigh that escaped his lips must've been tuned out by all of them, or at least the two on the other side of the car. One of them, the older of the two on the other seat, sat up, waiting in an agonized silence as the rode along. If he leaned any closer to that window Jack was sure he'd be pressed up against it. Those big blue eyes were unseeing, to stressed about what was to happen next for all of them. On his lap was the head of the boy with the twisted up leg. He wasn't sleeping either, despite the barely rising sun. The blue-eyed boy was running soft fingers through his hair as they both looked off worriedly into the nothingness. But it was the boy right in front of Jack that had been speaking to him, practically begging him for some kind of distraction from the tense situation at hand. And Jack would be damned if he didn't give him one.

"C'mere, Romeo…" he breathed, reaching over to pick the boy off the ground and place him on his chest, softly running hands through his hair and down his back. "What kinda game do ya wanna play, baby?" he asked, his voice still a whisper as he did not want to disrupt the quiet completely. He painted on a smile and let the little boy squirm around on top of him for a moment to get comfortable.

"How 'bout the quiet game?" suggested a bitter, sarcastic voice from the other side of the car. Jack glared before he could stop himself.

"Let 'em be, Race. Playin' a game sounds betta' than sittin' here in silence," the other boy sighed as he sat up, shaking himself a little bit so he was more awake.

The child in his arms was scared, that much was clear to Jack. All of them were. They didn't know what to expect anymore. So Jack just cradled the boy to him for a moment before looking around the small room they were stuck in. Then, after silence passed and the tense room almost killed them all, the oldest boy in the carriage whispered, "I spy, with my little eye, something… brown," he decided after a moment, not able to stop the grin that spread across his face at the giggle he got from the boy on his chest.

"It's Crutchie's crutch!" he answered much too quickly as he wiggled around in Jack's hold so that his back was against his big brother rather than his stomach.

The boy across the car snorted. "Wow, Jackie. Real tough one there," Crutchie rolled his eyes and smiled, quickly joining in when he saw the grin on his baby brother's face. The eight year old smiled at him and the world was suddenly a better place. "I spy, with my little eye, something… _green._ "

It went on like that for a while. Three boys trying to forget their troubles so that they could just smile with each other for a single moment. But eventually Jack knew he had to do something about the boy staring aimlessly out the window, holding back his anxieties and staying quiet thinking they'd all forgotten about him. So Jack stopped and his face became solemn for a moment. "C'mon, Racer…" he pleaded quietly. "Lighten up a bit, would ya?" Jack was at a loss when the boy just glared at him. He hated how quiet the boy was. It was odd and unusual, but he didn't press. Race would come to him eventually, he knew that much. So he just shook his head and turned back to Romeo.

The boy was yawning and his eyes were drooping as he curled up on his brother. "You wake me up so you can take a nap?" the oldest boy laughed. "I don't think that's how it works, kid!" Not that he wanted to wake the boy, but they were due at their destination any moment now. Romeo should be awake when they got there, it was only polite. So he began tickling the child's sides, up and down, until the boy was a squealing, wiggling mess on top of him.

"Jack, _stop_!" Romeo cried, tears in his eyes as he tried to pry his big brother's hands away from him. But Jack was relentless, and before long, he lifted the boy up so he could hover above him as he laughed and brightened up the world as he did so. " _Bear_!" he whined, still giggling madly as Jack gently threw him up in the air only to catch him and cradle him to his chest again.

"Why don't ya just let 'im sleep? At least one a' us woulda gotten some shut eye."

 _Oh boy,_ Jack thought as he glanced over to see Race shaking his head at him, the lack of sleep making him even more moody than usual. "Ya coulda gotten some sleep if ya came ova' here and relaxed like I told ya to," Jack shot back, a bit annoyed that the boy never listened to him. But Race just shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Stop worryin', kid. The world ain't always gonna be out ta get us," he promised, trying to calm the boy who wasn't even too much younger than him.

"Well…" Crutchie smirked, nudging Race with his elbow. "Maybe it'll always have it out for you, but the rest of us will be _just fine_ ," the boy stated, winking at Romeo as he looked up from Jack's chest.

Scoffing, Race stood to his feet, hoping to stretch for even just a moment before his whole world might turn upside down. It was then that Jack sat up, still cradling their littlest brother in his arms and patting the seat next to him, welcoming Race to sit once more. "What did I tell ya?" Jack whispered, rocking Romeo back and forth as he snuggled into him and as Crutchie limped his way over to sit beside them.

"I ain't gotta be scared a' nothin'..." Race repeated in a mutter, barely believing the words as they escaped his lips. Though, he lay his head down on Jack's shoulder and grasped onto his shirt sleeve with his bare hands. "Do we gotta be here, Jack?"

The words struck him hard as Crutchie began to run hands through Romeo's hair.

The four of them. A new home. It never did go too well. No matter how much hope Jack had that maybe he _this time_ would be different, it always ended in disappointment. He had to set rules for his babies and they had to have codes for when they were in trouble so they wouldn't get hurt more than they were inevitably going to. And in that moment, all Jack wanted to do was scoop them up and take them in himself. He was more a father to them than they'd ever had. He deserved to be able to keep them under his own watch.

The government said no. They weren't his. Jack knew better. If he didn't protect them, who would?

And as that train came to a stop, four boys were huddled together in a circle of fierce protection and just about nothing could tear them apart. But when a man opened their door and threw in the single bag they carried with them, they knew it was time to go.

"Get a move on, boys…" Jack mumbled, gently setting the youngest of them on his feet. "It's time ta go…" And off they went.

"Is this a good place?" Romeo asked, his small hand finding Jack's. "Or a bad one?"

The oldest sighed. "I don't know, pal," he admitted, squeezing his brother's hand. "But ya believe in luck, don't ya?"

When Romeo didn't answer, Race piped up. "Come on, Rome. You'se beat me at cards once or twice. That's gotta be luck."

"Race!" Jack hissed, sending the blonde boy an irritated glare. "Ya ain't helping." Race rolled his eyes, bending down to pick up the carpetbag as Jack comforted their brother, scooping the kid up into his arms to rest on his hip. "The three of us'll always be here ta look afta ya, ya know that, right? 'Specially me. I'm your big brother, it's my job."

That coaxed a small smile out of Romeo. "Thanks, Bear," he said in a small voice, wrapping his arms around Jack's neck.

"Alright," Jack said, glancing around the compartment. "I got the kid, Race has got the bag, Crutchie's got his crutch..." He grinned. "Let's get this show on the road."

It was going to be rough. New homes always were, no matter how nice the people there pretended to be. It was a miracle they'd managed to stay together this long- four boys, three of them teenagers, one with what many would call a disability. They would be walking on eggshells for the first week or two, testing the waters, getting the feel of the people here. It was hard, and Jack knew that better than anyone. He always tried to take the brunt of whatever situation life decided to throw them into next. But they had always stayed in Manhattan, where he had friends and connections and word was spread about which foster homes were good and which ones you should get out of fast.

The place they were now wasn't Manhattan, that was for sure. Trees and rolling hills stretched out in every direction, the railroad tracks cutting a harsh line through the scenery. No matter where he looked, that's all he saw. Grass, hills, trees, train tracks. Not a house or a building or an automobile in sight. The train station itself was little more than a shack near the rails. Everything about it was new and unfamiliar, and _oh God, he was so scared._

A small whimper from Romeo snapped him back to reality, and he automatically cradled the dark-haired boy closer as he sent a tentative glance toward his brothers. Crutchie was taking deep breaths and trying not to cry, and Race's blue eyes were wide. Every muscle in the boy's body was tensed, like he was about to bolt. With a deep breath, Jack squared his shoulders, setting Romeo on his feet. He was the oldest. He was the example. He couldn't afford to be scared, not with so much to lose.

 _So much to lose..._ He took another long look at the three boys, scraping up the last of his courage. "Mr. Kloppman sent word he'd pick us up," he said, reaching over to fix Race's coat collar. The curly-haired blonde batted his hand away, but Jack ignored him. "So we just have to wait. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

"Is that him?" Crutchie asked doubtfully, pointing down the dirt road. Emerging from behind the hills was a cart, driven by a gray-haired man with wire-rimmed glasses and pulled by a tired gray horse, kicking up dust. All four boys stood motionless, rooted to the spot as the cart ground to a stop right in front of them.

"Are you the four boys from the city?" the driver called. "I sure hope you are, seeing as there's nobody else here," he joked when the silence stretched out a bit too long. "I don't know your names, but I'm-"

"Mr. Kloppman," Jack finished for him, reaching over to shake the man's hand. _Courage,_ he reminded himself. "I'm Jack Kelly, sir. And these are my brothers, Anthony, Charlie, and Nicolas," he explained, gesturing to each boy in turn.

The old man nodded, sending them a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you, boys," he said, dropping the reins and climbing down from his seat. "If you'll show me where your trunks are, I'll load them up and we'll get going."

"Right here, sir," Race supplied, holding out the bag.

If Kloppman was surprised, to his credit he didn't show it. "Good lad," he said, clapping Race on the shoulder. He didn't hear the boy's sharp intake of breath, or see the stricken look on his face, for which Jack was grateful. "Hurry up, climb in," the old man said, glancing back at them as he re-took his seat. "I'd like to make it home before dark."

Jack was first to climb into the little cart, reaching down to lift Crutchie up and then helping Race with the bag while the younger boy boosted Romeo up to his seat. "Onward!" Mr. Kloppman said cheerily. _Onward,_ Jack agreed grimly. _Off to the unknown._

 **There you have it! The first chapter of Newsies in Narnia!**

 **If you enjoyed this chapter please drop us a review or a PM. It was really a lot of fun to write, and make sure to check out our other stories as well!**

 **Thanks so much for reading! Come back for our next update when bexlynne posts the next chapter ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone, it's bexlynne! Thank you for all the positive feedback on chapter one, it was so exciting to hear!**

 **Les Phansie: Thank you so much! Hopefully this chapter doesn't disappoint!**

 **Music on the Moon: Thank you! Narnia is one of my favorite book series too, SomedayonBroadway and I are honestly probably more excited for this than anyone!**

 **whats a username: Thank you! Hope you like chapter 2!**

 **Ktlasair: Here's one reaction to Narnia, and one Narnian's reaction! Hope you like it!**

 **brighteyes421: I'm so glad you like the story and how we write the characters! More information about the boys is coming, there's always a lot of angst in anything we write together (or apart…)**

 **actingwithportals: Thank you! You'll have to wait and see what Race does, that choice is up to him :3**

 **unofficialfansie: Thank you! We had a lot of fun with this chapter, I hope you like it!**

 **Guestatron: Thanks for the review! Hope you like this chapter!**

Trying to refrain from clinging to his brothers for dear life was like trying to keep himself from breathing. He couldn't. Not now. If the man saw them huddling so close together, there was no telling what might happen. There were too many memories of Jack's boys being used against him, too many memories of his boys being beaten for wanting to be held. It wasn't going to happen again. Not right now.

All Jack was able to do on that silent, daunting carriage ride was pull his littlest brother onto his lap, trying not to melt underneath the child when he snuggled into him. He held the boy tightly to him, ready to protect him from anything as they continued on their path.

There was more green in this place than those four boys had seen in their entire life. Trees sprouted from the ground in every direction and the grassy hills were endless. They all tried to distract themselves with the view, though they knew it wasn't working. This man hadn't said a word to them since they'd gotten into his carriage and that frightened them. All they could do was sit with each other, praying that it would all just be okay, because they knew from experience that it could be so much worse than they ever imagined.

It was almost hard not to smile at the way Race's eyes widened at the colors around him. Crutchie had a hard time not watching him take in the glorious sight for several minutes. His brother's blue eyes were so wide and amazed almost mirroring the amount of wonder that little Romeo had in the very same moment. The sight was almost more beautiful than the trees that surrounded them; his brothers' awe.

However, as Crutchie continued to let his eyes wander around this new place where green was normal and the sky was so clear, he saw something else. " _Whoa_ " he breathed out, unable to contain his initial amazement at the house… no, the _mansion_ standing proud and tall just a ways away. It looked like it was purely white with so many windows that they could see the stars from whatever room they went in.

There wasn't a moment in his life that Crutchie could remember getting to watch the stars.

At his little brother's breath of awe, Jack lifted his head up from Romeo's hair and tried to assess what had gotten such a response from the other boy. By the way the oldest boy's own eyes widened and the way his lips slightly parted with surprise, he hadn't been expecting to see the great big mansion either. It wasn't long before all four of them were staring, their mouths agape in shock as they all realized there was no where else for this path to go but straight towards that house.

"There it is, boys…" Mr. Kloppman smiled, taking just a moment to glance back and see their faces, laughing as he did so. "Welcome home."

 _Home_. If only they'd believed it.

* * *

"... this here is a sitting room where you boys can hang out, if you like. The restroom is just across the hall…"

It was a maze; a trap. Beautiful from the outside but hell to figure the way out of. Race watched his big brother. He could see the anxiety radiating off of him as Romeo's little hand grasped onto his. They wouldn't let go of each other for the world. All the blond boy could do was grip their bag tighter in his hand and follow their new guardian through his never ending palace, trying his best to remember the way out in case things went south.

"This room is my office." Mr. Kloppman pointed to a door at the end of the long hallway they were currently in. They continued to walk but the old man turned to them for a moment. "Please don't go in there unless there's an emergency," he asked before turning back around. Race could hear the quiet, frustrated sigh that Crutchie let out beside him, the boy most likely having a bit of a hard time keeping up. Race didn't want to think about how his brother's leg had been acting up lately. The rattling, racing train and the rough, bouncing carriage ride likely hadn't helped much. He turned to the kid silently, a question in his eyes that the younger boy immediately waved off.

 _"I don't need no one carryin' me,"_ he always said, though Jack could get away with it more than anyone else. Race knew Charlie hated being carried when they got to new houses. He didn't want to look like the weak link and Race understood that. It didn't make it any easier to know the boy was in pain.

It was a long time before Kloppman stopped walking, opening up a door to a large bedroom bigger than any of the boys had seen in their entire life. Jack's eyes widened at the sight and he held tighter to his baby brother's hand as the old man waved for them to follow.

Two beds. More than enough. They'd gotten by with so much less before. They could do that.

"Why don't you two older boys get settled in here and I can show the younger two to their room." That was when the panic set in.

The oldest boy's face paled a little bit as he looked down at little Romeo. "Uhm…" he stuttered a bit, trying to figure out what to say. The younger kid's big brown eyes were wide with fear as he knew he had to let go of his big brother's hand now.

"No need to be shy, it's just down the hall," Kloppman assured, walking back to the door that they'd just entered through. If he noticed their petrified expression, he pretended not to notice as he lightly pat the young blond boy on the shoulder and walked passed all of them, trusting Charlie and little Nicolas to follow him. The boy with the crutch flinched at the contact and gave his big brothers a helpless kind of look before he began to turn around, following the old man down the hall.

"Bear, I don' wanna-" Romeo began, a few tears in his eyes as he faced the unknown, but he was cut off.

"Are you kids comin' or what?" called the old man from the other side of the hallway. The littlest of them gasped a bit at the shout and immediately made his way over to the door, following his other brother down the hall.

For a moment, Race just watched Jack as his own heart dropped in his chest. But when his big brother shook his head and lunged over towards the door, his instincts kicked it. He was quick to wrap his arms around the older boy's chest and hold him back. "Jackie!" he whispered as the brunette struggled in his hold. "They're gonna be fine!" he tried to assure him, attempting to keep his voice low enough so their new foster father wouldn't hear them.

Whirling around with tears in his eyes, Jack shoved the smaller boy away from him, not enough to harm him, but enough to make him stumble. "You don't know that!"

It was true. They didn't know that. With the hell they'd been through in their last home, it was hard to let the younger two out of their sight. The world was against them and there was nothing they could do about it. So Race didn't argue, he just remained in his place while Jack dropped himself back on one of the beds, his hands over his face, either to mask his tears or to brace himself for screams, possibly both.

The blue eyed boy didn't exactly know what to do. He was left leaning up against a wall, watching his brother try not to let everything catch up with himself. He was sure the older boy hadn't slept in days and he'd been giving Romeo and Crutchie his meals for the past few nights too. Race tried to tell him that it would all be okay and that he needed to take care of himself, but Jack always waved him off and told him he was fine.

He wasn't fine. He was a boy wrapped in a box of stress and anxiety because he worked too hard to protect his brothers. He had so much to lose. They all did.

It was quiet for just a moment. One moment stretched into two, and everything was so still that Race didn't know what to do. He could hear Jack's shaky breaths and he wished beyond anything that they would stop. Jack never lost it around the other kids. It was only when it was just Race that he'd come anywhere close and the boy hated the sight. He hated that they had every reason to be scared. But just as the young boy opened his mouth to say something, a small ball of energy came bounding onto the same bed that Jack occupied.

"Bear! Mr. Kloppman ga'e me candy!" Romeo cried happily as he bounced up and down on the soft mattress, a lollipop stuck in his mouth as he grinned at the sugar he hadn't had in such a long time.

A laugh followed soon after but Jack was too busy sitting up and pulling his brother too him, looking up with fierce green eyes to take in everything around them and scope out any dangers nearby before the words caught up to him. His whole body sagged with a kind of relief before he looked up to see Crutchie limp up to the doorframe and lean against it with a small smile upon his lips. Kloppman wasn't far behind, a kind look in his wise eyes as he saw how Jack cradled the small child to his chest. "It's getting late, boys," he stated kindly. "If you're hungry, I showed you the kitchen. Don't be afraid to get something to eat. And there's more where that came from, if you'd like," he added, addressing the older three as he gestured to the candy in Romeo's mouth.

With a small nod, Jack quickly composed himself and sat up a bit straighter, letting a now very happy little boy slid down onto the ground. Trying to muster up as much strength as he could, he let a very small, very hesitant smile onto his face as he glanced over at their new guardian so quickly the rest of the room barely caught it. "You heard the man, kiddo…" His voice shook only slightly, but he just forced himself to be the big brother, the one who would put on a brave face and deal with his fear another time. "Why don' we finish this an' then go get ready for bed, yeah?" He tapped the end of the boy's nose, his whole heart warming at the sight of Romeo's grin.

"I'll be downstairs if you boys need me…" Kloppman offered them a small wave. He winked at Race before turning and making his way back out into the hallway with a quiet "goodnight!" before the four brothers were left alone once again in a maze of a house that they still only vaguely knew their way around.

"Goodnight…" Jack called back, letting his eyes slide closed as he sighed.

 _Nice goin', coward…_

* * *

"Bear," someone very small and very energetic whined, climbing to sit on Jack's chest. "I'm _bored_. I wanna play."

Jack had been snoozing with his cap pushed down over his eyes -key words being _had been_ \- but he heaved a heavy sigh, gently pushing his baby brother off of him and onto the bed. "Play with ya brotha's, baby," he muttered, his voice muffled slightly by the cap.

Romeo gave a loud, dramatic sigh, flopping back to rest with his head on Jack's stomach. It was silent for a small moment before- "Ya done sleepin' yet, Bear?" Jack's answer was an equally loud, exaggerated snore that didn't even skip a beat, making the little boy giggle.

"Romeo!" a voice hissed from the doorway. Jack felt the weight on his torso whisk away, followed by Race's voice scolding their brother quietly. "Jack's sleepin', buddy. Ya know he was up all the last two nights with…" the boy stopped, shaking his head a bit, sort of afraid to finish his sentence. Jack didn't move on the bed, but Race could see his big brother tense a little bit.

"I didn't have any bad dreams last night though," Romeo protested, his voice rising to a whine.

Race scowled, scratching the back of his neck and avoiding answering the obvious. "Ya ain't the only one who has nightmares, kid," he sighed. "Crutchie gets 'em too, an' me..."

"Not Jack though, right?" Romeo interrupted, glancing toward their brother on the bed. He was stretched out full length on top of the coverlet, his shoes kicked off and his arms behind his head. Romeo couldn't tell if he was awake or not- that snore earlier had sounded pretty real to him.

Race followed Romeo's gaze, remembering last night when he'd had to practically tackle his big brother and cover his mouth to keep him from screaming, shaking him as hard as he dared to wake him up and assure him of where he was, that Race was right here and the little boys were down the hall. Jack never talked after dreams like that, and Race had a feeling he never slept, either. He needed all the rest he could get today. Even if it meant jumping through hoops to keep Romeo busy.

"Nah," he said. "Not Jack. C'mon," he diverted, crouching down so his youngest brother could climb on his back. "Let's go find Crutchie an' play a game or somethin'. It'll be fun, I promise."

"But I wanna play outside!" Romeo protested, clamoring on his brother's back reluctantly.

"Yeah, well, it's rainin'," Race sighed. "Mr. Kloppman don't want us goin' out in the rain, says we'll catch a cold or somethin'." _Three days. It's easy for him ta say 'stay in,' he ain't the one who has ta entertain this one._

"We stayed out in the rain all the time at the last place," Romeo complained, ready to pitch a full on tantrum if he had to. "All night, sometimes. Jack _told_ us to stay outside. And we neva' got sick then."

The blond boy felt his heart break just a little at the memory. Romeo was so innocent, he'd never noticed the new bruises on Jack's skin. "That was different," Race said, his words short and clipped. "Romeo, c'mon. Don't throw a fit, just come play with Crutchie an' me."

"Inside games are _boring_ without Jack!" came the quick reply.

Race groaned, feeling his little brother's arms wrap tighter around his neck. With a small, defeated shake of his head, he let out a desperate sigh "Cowboy, are ya gonna keep pretendin' ta sleep or are ya gonna give me a hand?" he asked. _Well, I'se tried..._

The boy on the bed grinned in spite of himself, shoving his hat back on his head and lazily getting to his feet. "Borin', huh?" he said, pinching Romeo's nose lightly. "I ain't neva' heard ya say that a game a' _'Jack Kelly hide an' seek'_ was borin'."

"Bear!" Romeo shrieked with excitement, jumping from Race's back to Jack's arms.

"Hey, careful!" Race objected, ducking away from the two and shaking his head. He cast a nervous glance towards the doorway, a sort of shock filling up his chest when no one was there to hiss at them to _"quiet down!"_

"Aw, you're no fun," Jack said easily, setting Romeo on his feet. The little boy took off like a shot, calling for Crutchie as he ran. "One," Jack said, clapping his hands over his eyes. "Two… better run, Racer," he cautioned. "Three. Four."

Rolling his eyes, Race headed down the hallway after his brothers. "You're impossible," he threw over his shoulder as he left.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Jack called back, the smile evident in his voice. "Get hidin', Racer!"

Race wandered off down the hall at a much slower pace than Romeo had, trying a door every once in a while if it looked interesting. He could plainly see the tip of a wooden crutch poking out from a curtain at the end of the hall, so he ducked into a room before he reached there, stifling a smile as he did.

This room was empty, except for the enormous wardrobe against the far wall. Everything -the sound of the rain splattering on the tin roof, the ever-present smell of dust and old books, the constant tense, sick feeling in his stomach- seemed to fade away as he walked slowly towards it. It was huge, big enough for all four of them at least, and beautifully carved. The wood seemed to shine, a beautiful golden dark brown color that Race couldn't recall seeing on any tree in New York before. Carved into the doors was a tree, strong and proud, with a roaring lion standing guard at its base. Race couldn't help but reach out to it, wanting to run his fingers over the shining wood and feel the ridges and whorls of the pictures engraved on it.

Before he could, the wardrobe door opened just a crack. "Race!" a little voice hissed, accompanied by a pair of dark glittering eyes. _Romeo_. "This is my room! Find your own spot!"

The door swished closed again, and Race rolled his eyes. "A'right, I'm leavin'," he said.

"Not so loud!" Romeo ordered, his voice muffled through the doors. "Jack'll hear ya!" He crouched down on the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees and peering out through the crack between the two doors. After a moment or two, he shifted to a sitting position. He had forgotten how boring hide and seek could be when you were the one hiding. Struggling to his feet again, he took two steps backwards, expecting to feel his back press against the smooth wood of the back of the wardrobe. When nothing happened, he took another two steps.

 _It can't be that big,_ he thought dubiously, taking another step. _Crunch_. Romeo froze, his left foot surrounded by something freezing and wet and the numbing, aching cold rapidly seeping through his shoe and sock. Hesitantly, almost afraid to look, he risked a glance downwards and gasped. _Snow_. All over the wardrobe floor was snow, heaps and piles of it. And where the back of the wardrobe should have been there was… nothing. The stout wooden walls gave way to trees and snow, and nothing else. Romeo wrapped his arms around his torso, shivering slightly and he turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. Snowflakes settled in his dark hair and landed gently on his eyelashes, and he brushed them away with a slight giggle. It had been _so long_ since Jack had taken them to play in the snow. Romeo expanded his circle, walking a few steps in each direction and kicking up drifts of snow and ice as he went, not even noticing the icy water soaking through his shoes. On his third trip in his little circle, he saw it- a warm, steady little light, only a few yards off through the trees.

He was drawn to it like a moth, struggling through drifts well above his knees and slipping through the trees that stood in his path. When he finally burst into the little clearing, he was surprised to see that the light didn't come from a fire or a lantern. It was a lamppost. The wrought iron was glazed over with a sheen of frost and was rusted in some places, but its little light was still shining persistently, flickering every once in a while as snowflakes sizzled against the glass.

The second thing Romeo noticed was the man - _man?_ \- to his left, coming into the clearing at the same moment he did. He had a long, dark beard down to the middle of his chest, and shaggy dark hair above, but he was almost the same height as Romeo himself, which is where the confusion came from. He had on a red coat, and a red fur-lined hood drawn up over his head to ward off the snow. A coil of rope was looped over one shoulder, and a large burlap sack was slung over the other. What with the snow and the hood and the sack, he almost looked a little like Santa Claus.

Romeo was so fascinated by the thing, he didn't even notice when the creature lazily threw a glance around the clearing, his gaze falling on the little boy. Flinging his sack in the air, he let out a shrill, high scream. Romeo screamed in return, backpedaling as fast as he could and trying to get the lamppost between him and the thing. His feet skidded on the hard-packed snow, flying out from under him and landing him on his back with a thud. He pushed himself painfully up into a sitting position, searching frantically for the creature and panicking when he couldn't find it.

"Here," a rough voice said from behind him. Romeo flinched, only to find himself hauled up by his collar and set on his feet.

"Th-thanks," Romeo stuttered, falling back a step automatically and keeping a wary eye on the stranger.

"Don' mention it," the thing said, his accent strange and unfamiliar. "Now lemme ask ya somethin', kid. What _are_ ya?"

"What am I?" Romeo choked out. "What are _you?_ "

"Really, kid?" the stranger asked, raising one dark eyebrow. "I'se a dwarf. C'mon. Now what are ya?"

"I'm… I'm Romeo," the boy said, confusion written on his face.

The dwarf sighed. "An' I'm Spot," he replied. "Pleased ta meet ya. Now cut ta the chase, kid. Ya ain't a dwarf like me, that's obvious. Ya ain't a Naiad or a Dryad. Ya sure as hell ain't a faun. If I didn't know betta'... I'd say you'se a _Son of Adam_ " _It ain't possible… it can't be…_ The dwarf's eyes widened as he took in the sight, not that the boy really noticed.

"I… I don't know my pa's name," Romeo mumbled hesitantly, suddenly finding an interest in his hands as he thought about it again, as if that thought hadn't haunted him enough throughout his small life. "I neva' met him..."

"Lucky you," Spot muttered, still eying the human suspiciously, not exactly knowing what road to take from here. "My fatha' sided with _him_."

"Him?" Romeo repeated.

"Yeah," Spot said, carefully adjusting the rope over his shoulder. " _Him_. Ya know, the reason it's winter right now. Jeez, kid, where've ya been these last thousand years?"

"I'se been at Kloppman's house," Romeo explained helplessly, pointing back through the trees. "With Bear an' Tony an' Charlie. We was playin' a game an' I's was tryin' ya hide-"

"Kid, I can't unda'stand a word you'se sayin," Spot stated, holding up a hand to stop him. "Ya obviously ain't from 'round here, so lemme give ya a quick geography lesson. Everythin' here, from the Lantern Waste," he pointed at the light above their heads. "Ta the Eastern Sea at Cair Paravel, that's Narnia. My home." _Home. Or something like that._

"O-oh," Romeo stuttered out, looking around. "It looks… nice," the boy finished, not really knowing what else he could say, but knowing his big brother has always told him to be polite.

"Ya don't gotta lie," Spot dismissed immediately. "It's a frozen wasteland an' we all know it. It's all _his_ fault. An' if you really are who ya says ya are," he added, his voice dropping suddenly. "Then ya can't stay here. If ya knew what was good for ya you'd turn around right now and run back ta where ya came from." Romeo shied away, feeling the familiar chill down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold, desperately wishing Jack was there at his side, sliding his big hand into Romeo's and assuring him quietly that everything would be okay before he picked him up and held him close.

 _He's confused, Conlon. It's now er neva'._ "Hey, I'm just messin' with ya," Spot said, seeing his face. "C'mon, kid, you'se soaked through. Wanna stop by my place for a bite ta eat an' a chance ta dry off?" He hefted his sack back onto his shoulder, glancing over his shoulder to be sure Romeo was following. _Please have some sense, kid..._

"Uhm…" Romeo flung a helpless glance back to where he'd come, just barely able to pick out the wardrobe door amongst the trees. _I can still see home. If I needs ta, I can just run for Jack._ "Comin'!" he called, hearing his brother's voice in his head. He was in a strange place with a strange… _dwarf_ … knowing trust wasn't supposed to come easy.

Curiosity was a dangerous thing.

With a small shrug and one last long glance back at his passageway to his brothers, Romeo broke into a steady run, in the opposite direction. "Spot, I'm comin'!"

Spot winced. _I'm so sorry, kid..._

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did please be sure to leave us a review, SomedayonBroadway will answer it next time around when she posts chapter 3! Love you all!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! It's been way too long! Over a year, in fact since this has been updated! But we're back! It's SomedayonBroadway here with chapter three of this Narnia RP!**

 **OllieCollie: Thank you so much! The relationship between the boys here is definitely my favorite thing to write. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 **brighteyes421: Romeo is so innocent and too pure for this world and we all know it. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **Les Phansie: Spot being a dwarf is one of my favorite things. I'm so glad you like it! Thank you so much!**

 **NewsieOnAMission: Thank you so much! We love this story too! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 **MaddyWinchester2000: I hope we get to go into the backstory of the boys a little further into the story. Thank you so much, we're so glad you like it!**

 **upwiththebirds33: Mr. Tumnus is my favorite too! He's the best! I do highly recommend the books! They're amazing. Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Junebug: So sorry for the long wait! So glad you like this one! Thank you so much!**

 **Mistiquecats: Ahhhh so glad you like it! Thank you so much!**

"Do you want help carryin' anything?" Romeo asked, struggling through a particularly deep drift of snow as he tried to keep up with Spot. The dwarf didn't move fast, not exactly. But he knew these woods, much better than Romeo did. He knew every drift and icicle and hollow and to navigate them.

"Nah, ya couldn't lift it," Spot dismissed, getting a better grip on his sack.

"What's in it?" Romeo asked, his interest peaked.

A curious one. Good. "Coal," the dwarf said, the distaste evident in his voice. "That's all any a' us dwarves do nowadays, mine coal. There was a time," he added, his irritation getting the best of him. "When my family was known for the swords an' axes we'se'd make. We made armor for kings. When Prince Declan rode to the north and cut the head off a' the dragon that had been plaguin' those villages for years, he used a sword forged by my great grandfatha'. And now here I am, the last a' my family line," he said, his voice full of disgust. "Minin' coal."

"Coal ain't so bad," Romeo ventured. "You can make a fire! To keep ya warm, in all the snow!"

Spot sent him a sideways glance. "I don't get to keep the coal, kid," he said. "It all goes to him. If I don't meet my quota for the day… well, it's over."

Romeo bit his lip, Jack's voice playing in his head. Don't talk to strangers, baby. And don't ask questions 'bout things that don't concern you. Well, he'd already ignored the first part of that advice. Might as well forget the second. "You keep talkin' about him. Who is he?"

"He is the reason Narnia looks like this," Spot said, gesturing vaguely around. "He's been in charge for goin' on a hundred years. He says he's the king, but none a' us call him that. Only a Son of Adam can be a king of Narnia, and there's no way that bastard is human. Even humans ain't as bad as he is."

The little boy considered this, watching the snowflakes fall down and settle on his sleeve. He was too fascinated to even feel the cold. "What's 'bastard' mean?"

Spot let out a short bark of a laugh- the first time Romeo had seen him smile. "Don't worry about it, kid," he said, halting in his tracks. Before Romeo had even fully stopped, the dwarf was crawling under… a rock?

The short man disappeared, his hand reaching up a moment later to grab his sack of coal. "You comin', kid?" he asked, his bearded face popping up to see why Romeo hadn't followed.

Romeo took a hesitant step forward, crouching down in the snow like he'd seen Spot do. To his surprise, the large boulder was concealing a doorway of some kind- a rough hole in the earth, with steps leading downwards, carved into the damp ground. "This is so cool!" he said, scrambling down to explore the tiny cave.

A large brick fireplace stood at one end of the room, taking up almost the entire wall. A low table was placed in front of it, with no chairs. A crude set of shelves were built into the wall beside it, holding a set of dishes and pots and pans. A huge barrel of beer stood under it, nestled into the corner. Near the door was a set of hooks, where Spot was busy hanging up his rope and his pickaxe. The bag of coal he deposited into a bin below the door, a bin with an address on the side. If Romeo has been able to read better, he would have tried to make it out. In the opposite corner, hard to see in the dim firelight, was a pallet on the floor and a stack of heavy woolen blankets. There were no personal effects, no decorations of any kind. Other than the blankets, nothing of comfort. Romeo started to feel uneasy, like he often did at night when the door to his and Crutchie's room was closed, separating him from Jack.

Spot crossed the room to the table, kicking off his boots and setting them neatly on the hearth before heading to the barrel in the corner to draw himself a mug of beer. "Come on in, kid," he said, glancing up to see Romeo still in the doorway. "It ain't much, but it's home. 'Least it's warm."

Romeo took a few steps closer to the fire, watching as Spot took a crock off the shelf lifted off the lid, revealing an assortment of food packed in snow. "I'm guessin' you Sons of Adam eat the same kinda food as us dwarves," he said, laying sausages and potatoes on the hot coals. "If ya don't, won't hurt ya to try. Ain't like I eat anythin' unnatural."

Romeo took another step forward, his wet shoes sloshing and leaving clumps of mud on the dirt floor as the snow and ice melted.

"Here," Spot said, noticing the trail. "Put 'em by the fire." He gestured for Romeo to take a seat at the table, and cleared a spot free of ash on the hearth. "That's the worst thing about all this damn snow, your feet never really get dry."

"Winter ain't all bad," Romeo ventured, obediently untying his shoe. "There's snowmen, and snowball fights, and Christmas!"

Spot let out a bitter laugh, jabbing at the coals with a poker and watching the sparks fly up. "Not here, kid. He won't let us do anythin' that sounds like it could be fun. All any of us do is work, from the old folks tottering around with their canes all the way down to the little ones. If you can walk, you can push a cart or run messages. That's what he thinks. And we ain't had a Christmas in... well, I'd say about a hundred years."

"No Christmas?" Romeo said incredulously. Even in the hardest of times, Jack had always tried to scrape together some semblance of Christmas. Whether it was huddling around a stub of a candle and listening to him tell fantastical stories (that Romeo was still not convinced were entirely true), or waking up to find drawings of dogs and birds and flowers and cars on little scraps of paper, or even the rare piece of candy. "There's no point in havin' winter if you don't get Christmas."

Spot rolled his eyes, turning the sausages. "You're tellin' me."

"How did he make it always winter?" the small boy asked, inching closer to the fire. He set his shoes next to Spot's. For someone only his height, the dwarf had awfully big feet. "Winter ain't supposed to last a hundred years. Winter's only a coupla' months, Jack said."

"He did this with magic," Spot said, jerking a plate off the shelf a little too hard. "Horrible, dark magic. What's worse, half the Narnians have joined 'im. We really shouldn't've been talkin' about him out in the open like we was," he added, looking towards the door uneasily. "Even some a' the trees are on his side."

"The… the trees?" Romeo asked, shrinking back a bit. He picked at a thread in his shirt, a warning feeling prickling at the back of his neck. "I… I really should be gettin' home. My brothers are gonna be lookin' for me…"

"No!" Spot said, a little too forcefully. He stopped short at the startled look on the kid's face, and took a deep breath. "Don't listen to an old dwarf like me, I talk too much," he said, dishing up the potatoes and the sausages onto two plates. "Too much time alone in the mines, I get a visitor and I don't know how to act. Come on, what kinda host would I be if I sent ya away without dinner?"

Don't take food from strangers, Rome. It ain't safe, even if you's hungry. The sight of the steaming sausages and the hot baked potatoes chased Jack's warning right out of Romeo's mind. It had been forever since he'd seen that much food. And usually he had to share, this was a whole plate just for him! And Spot wasn't really a stranger, they'd just taken a walk together. They'd been talking the whole time. It was fine, it would be fine.

Romeo devoured everything on his plate, even asking for seconds. Spot just chuckled, getting some more food into the coals and ruffling Romeo's hair roughly. "Growin' boy, huh? I heard your kind can get tall. You's just a mite, ain't ya?"

He started to forget the prickly warning feeling, sitting cross-legged on the floor, elbows propped on the table as he watched Spot. Jack never let him put his elbows on the table. He got up to help clear the plates, but the dwarf waved him off and left them on the table.

The bearded little man lit his pipe with an ember from the fireplace, puffing on it as he crouched in front of the barrel in the corner and drew two mugs of beer. Romeo felt the prickle again, but only a little bit. Spot was drinking it, and he liked Spot. He wanted to be like him, if he could. I wonder if I'm big enough to get a beard…

He drained the mug in one gulp, sputtering a little at the taste, eyes watering. Spot chuckled, patting him on the back. "It's alright, kid," he said, taking his mug from him. "The second one's easier." He refilled Romeo's mug, pressing it into his small hand.

Romeo managed a smile, taking it from him. He drank half of it down, liquid sloshing over the side. He felt so… tired, all of a sudden. The drink was sitting sour in his stomach, warming him inside and out. His head nodded forward, his chin touching his chest, his eyes falling closed…

Crash!

Romeo's eyes flew open, scrambling backward, his hands flying up to protect his head. He wanted Jack. Where was Jack? Why wasn't he here? Chest heaving, he glanced around. The fire was dying, and it took a moment or two for his eyes to adjust. He could see the spilled beer and shards of earthenware pottery on the dirt floor. The mug breaking must have been what woke him.

"S-Spot?" he asked shakily, voice cracking. He was… alone. He'd never been alone before. Jack has never left him, none of his brothers had.

"Here," a scratchy voice said. Romeo's head whipped around, searching for his friend. He took a deep breath, flooded with relief that he wasn't completely on his own.

The dwarf was huddled on the mattress in the corner, his arms wrapped around his knees. His face was almost completely hidden by his beard. His shoulders were shaking with some kind of fit, and when he spoke Romeo realized they were sobs.

"I'm a horrible dwarf," he said, his voice breaking a bit.

"No ya ain't!" Romeo protested. "You's real nice. Ya brought me here, an'... an' ya gave me food. And ya dried me off and told me about Narnia."

"I'm a disgrace ta my family," Spot said, his voice rough with unshed tears. "None a' them would ever think of doing' somethin' like this. They was all loyal ta Aslan, not to some lying bastard who calls himself king."

Romeo crawled to sit beside his friend. "I bet they'd forgive ya," he said, teaching for the dwarf's hand. "I would. You's nice."

"Ya don't know what I did!" Spot protested, jerking away. "What I am doing. Romeo, I- I'm kidnapping ya!"

Romeo felt his blood run cold. The prickly feeling was back times a hundred. Why didn't I listen ta Jack? I shoulda stayed with Jack!

"He's the reason why. He's told all of us a hundred times over, that if we ever see a Son of Adam in these woods that were to turn them directly over to him-"

"Can't ya just let me go?" the little boy asked, his face white. "I… I can sneak back. Let me go, please. You's my friend, Spot."

The dwarf opened his mouth and then snapped it closed. "Ya right," he said, his voice surprisingly fierce. "No Conlon has ever been a traitor, and I ain't gonna start now. Come on."

Before Romeo could even think, a hand was wrapped around his wrist and he was being pulled by someone just as small, yet a hundred times stronger than he was. His legs could hardly keep up.

They were back out in the snow before long, the kid's shoes hardly even back on his feet. Romeo looked around wildly, suddenly feeling the need for familiar warm arms around his small frame and a comforting voice in his ear. His heart pounded against his chest like it did whenever Race told him a scary story.

"Where're we goin'?" the kid asked, trying to reach forward to loosen the grip around his small arm. Spot didn't let up. And he didn't respond, either.

It did nothing to calm Romeo's nerves. The child wanted only one thing. He wanted his brothers.

"Spot—" the boy tried to protest. But he paused when he realized he'd seen this place before.

A circle of trees surrounding a single lamppost.

Without warning, Spot whirled around, tears on his cheeks and an urgency taking over his entire being, looking Romeo dead in the eyes. "Can you find your way back from here?" he asked, his voice almost making it sound more like a demand than a question. Like when Jack would tell him to play outside with Crutchie or Race. Only, this somehow sounded worse.

Nodding, he looked around for one moment, just to try and remember what it all looked like. But Spot was in too much of a hurry. "Run, kid!"

"Wait!" the boy insisted, reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small handkerchief. He was sure he'd gotten it from Jack as some point.

He handed it to the dwarf, watching as a sort of shock took over Spot's face. But he took the small offering anyways, letting out a small, breathy laugh as he dabbed at his cheeks. "You always like this with folks who try ta kidnap you?"

Shrugging, Romeo smiled. "You're my friend. You're helpin' me…"

Spot's lips actually melted into a small smile at that. He ruffled the boy's hair and balled up the small cloth in his hand, trying to hand it back. But Romeo just shook his head. "Keep it… you need it more than I do…"

At that, Spot let more tears fall, choking on a sob as he turned around. He hadn't meant to cry. He was supposed to be tougher than that. He was a dwarf. Dwarves aren't supposed to cry. "Thank you, Romeo…"

The boy watched his new friend in wonder. Jack always told him not to be too curious. That could lead to getting hurt. But Romeo couldn't help it. "Will you be okay?" he asked.

Looking up at him, Spot nodded, blinking hard and wiping at his cheeks with Romeo's gift. "Yeah… yeah, kid… you… you made me feel warmer than I've felt in a long time," he admitted with a smile that Romeo could get used to seeing.

But when the sound of snow crunch behind the trees were heard, that smile disappeared. "You have ta go…" Romeo tried to shake his head. He tried to ask what was going on. But Spot looked at him seriously. "Go!"

Before Romeo could protest, he was shoved in what he believed to be the entrance of the wardrobe. He turned around to try and wave to Spot, say goodbye in some way. But when he glanced back over his shoulder, Spot was gone.

So with only one train of thought, the boy ran back towards the entrance of this odd world and was stumbling through a mess of coats and hangers, screaming out the only thing he could. "Jack!" he cried. "Jackie!"

His brother didn't answer him right away. Maybe they'd gone out to search for him. How long has he even been gone?

He pushed his way out of the wardrobe and then rushed into the hallway, still calling for big brother. "Bear! I'm here! I'm alright!"

"Shhhh!" someone hissed from behind him.

"Bear?"

"Romeo, be quiet before he actually hears you!" Romeo turned to find that Race was crouched behind a chair pressed over into the corner of the small room he'd managed to rush into without truly think.

Only seconds later, footsteps were heard rushing into the room and Romeo turned around to find a very confused looking Jack while Race let out an exasperated grumble behind him. "Nice goin', Rome," he said, jumping out from his hiding spot. But Romeo wasn't paying much attention to him anymore. He was too busy rushing up to Jack and practically begging for that familiar sense of security to surround him just as Jack's arms did.

"Hey, hey, kid…" Jack hushed, lifting his baby brother up off the ground trying to coax the child's gaze up to meet his. Romeo clung to him and buried his face in the older boy's shoulder. "Hey, what happened?"

"Romeo?" another voice asked. The boy didn't have to look up to know it was Crutchie. "Are you okay? What happened?"

He also didn't have to look up to see Crutchie glaring at Race like he'd done something.

"Wh-why didn't none of ya come lookin' f'r me?" The boy's voice was shaking, sending a spike of worry down Jack's spine as he lowered himself and the child to the ground, setting Romeo on his lap as the kid finally looked up from his hiding place against the teen's chest.

He could only run a hand through his brother's dark hair and shake his head in confusion. "Baby, I _was_ lookin' for you… that's how hide n' seek works… I j'st had ta count first," he explained. He and his brothers played this game all the time. It was mostly a way to either get Romeo to hide when homes were getting really bad, or a way to cure all of their boredom. "What's gotten inta you?"

The kid looked up at him, truly looking around for the first time. He saw worry etched into every single one of his brothers' faces as they watched him, waiting for him to tell them what was so wrong.

Finally, looking back to his oldest brother, Romeo fisted at his nose. "I… I've been gone f'r hours…"

Jack crossed his legs legs beneath the boy, thumbing at his cheeks. "What're ya talkin' about, Rome? Did you hit your head on somethin'?"

Romeo looked at his brother intently, as if he was trying to figure out if Jack was messing with him or not. But the way Bear looked back at him made him question everything.

Had he dreamt it?

He crawled out of the older boys lap. "Cmon! Cmon, I'll show ya! I've been gone all day! Come on!"

He ran through the halls fast. So fast that even Race was stuck somewhere far behind him.

"Hey! Nicolas! You know you can't run through the house like that!" Crutchie called. Romeo did hate it when any of his brothers used his full name. It meant he was more than likely in some kind of trouble. But he didn't care.

"Come on!"

He was scooped up fast. He squirmed in the embrace he knew for sure was not Jack's. "Romeo, what the hell—?"

"Race," Jack called.

Everything slowed down for a moment as Jack gave Race a look, telling him to calm down. Romeo stilled in the blond boy's arms and looked towards the wardrobe beside them. "It's in there, Jack! Spot is in there! There's snow n' it's always winter but Christmas never comes in—"

"Romeo, breathe…" Jack ordered, stepping even closer to the child. "I can't understand you when you're talkin' that fast."

"Inside! It's inside! There's a forest in there!"

Jack sighed and pat Racer on the back, silently telling him to let Romeo slide back to the floor. Race did so and Romeo didn't move. He just stared at the door to the wardrobe like something was about to jump out at him and swallow him whole. So he extended his hand to the kid. "C'mon, baby…" he coaxed.

Romeo took his hand, but the second Jack took a step closer to the door of that magnificent piece of furniture, he dug his heels into the ground. "Jackie, no!"

"Yes, c'mon, come here," Jack insisted. He slowly opened up the door. And Romeo tried to tear his hand away, only for Jack to reveal a normal looking storage space. One with only a couple coats and a back only three feet from the front of it.

Romeo gasped. "But…"

Lifting up his baby brother's hand, Jack helped the boy lay his palm flat against the firm wood. "Look… there's nothin' back there, kiddo… nothin' ta be scared of, yeah?"

"But… but I saw it! N'... I… there was snow! Spot said that—"

"Romeo, you was probably just daydreamin'..." Crutchie insisted as Race walked around the in wardrobe, simply admiring it again, just as he had mere moments ago.

It really was beautiful.

Romeo didn't understand. He'd seen it. His feet were still freezing from the snow. His belly was full of food he'd just had. His heart still raced in his chest. "It was there, Jack… I saw it…"

Jack sighed again, at a loss for words. He looked over to Race. The younger boy only shrugged. So Jack turned back and pressed a kiss to his brother's hair before gently pulling him close and shutting the wardrobe up again.

Romeo was still young. Jack could just pretend like it was childish dreams he was always going on about, imaginary friends, a way to entertain himself. But he couldn't keep that up forever.

He pulled the child close to him and held on tight. Looking over at his other brothers, he just watched as the stepped closer and sat beside him, Crutchie leaning over Romeo and Race resting a head on Jack's shoulder.

Blinking back tears, Jack took them in. His brothers. His family. All he had.

He took them in while he still could.

Because this wouldn't last forever.

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I really hope we'll be back with more soon!**

 **Love ya lots!**

 **As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving a review! Thank you!**


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